Hand-held scrubbing device

Abstract

A hand-held scrubbing device used for cleaning and/or scrubbing bathroom walls, tile, tubs, faucets, crevices, shower stalls, and other surfaces. The hand-held scrubbing device includes a head which is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of an elongated body portion of the device. The head can simultaneously swivel with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body portion. Various cleaning implements, such as brushes and scrubbing pads, are attached to the head. The device also includes a handle which is rotatable with respect to the elongated body portion and is locked into a pistol position or a wand position. Preferably, the device can include a universal joint assembly which allows the head to rotate and swivel with respect to the elongated body portion. A splash guard can be attached to the head. A motor is housed within a hollow portion of the elongated body portion and is powered by battery.

Having thus described the present invention, it is now claimed: 
     
       1. A hand-held scrubbing device, comprising: an elongated body portion having opposed first and second ends and a longitudinal axis;   a head attached to said first end, wherein said head is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said elongated body portion and wherein said head is simultaneously adapted to swivel about said longitudinal axis of said elongated body portion;   a cleaning implement selectively secured to said head; and,   a handle attached to said second end, said handle being selectively rotatable about said longitudinal axis of said elongated body portion.   
     
     
       2. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 1 wherein said head comprises a universal joint assembly for allowing the attachment and quick release of various cleaning implements to said head. 
     
     
       3. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 1 further comprising a splash guard attached to said head. 
     
     
       4. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 1 wherein said handle is rotatable to a pistol position in which said handle is disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body portion. 
     
     
       5. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 4 wherein said handle is rotatable to a wand position located along the longitudinal axis of the elongated body portion. 
     
     
       6. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 5 wherein said handle is locked into a wand position or a pistol position by a locking knob attached to said elongated body portion. 
     
     
       7. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 1 wherein said elongated body portion is hollow and further comprising a motor located in said elongated body portion, said motor being operatively connected to said head for rotating said head. 
     
     
       8. A hand held scrubbing device, comprising: an elongated body portion having opposed first and second ends and a longitudinal axis;   a head attached to said first end, said head comprising: a universal joint,   an interface cover mounted on said universal joint, and   a pad interface attached to said interface cover, said interface cover comprising slots and an inverse ball-shaped opening, wherein said universal joint includes a ball-shaped member having a pair of spaced tabs, said tabs engaging in said slots of said interface cover to allow rotation of the head around the longitudinal axis, and wherein said ball-shaped member functionally engages said inverse ball-shaped opening in said interface cover to allow said interface cover to swivel in relation to said longitudinal axis;     a splash guard attached to said head;   a cleaning implement selectively secured to said pad interface; and,   a handle attached to said second end, said handle being selectively rotatable about said longitudinal axis of said elongated body portion.   
     
     
       9. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 8 further comprising a base mounted between said interface cover and said first end of said elongated body portion. 
     
     
       10. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 8 wherein said pad interface and said cleaning implement further comprise respective hook and loop surfaces, wherein said hook and loop surface of said pad interface matingly engages said hook and loop surface of said cleaning implement, selectively securing said cleaning implement to said pad interface and allowing quick installation and removal of said cleaning implement from said pad interface. 
     
     
       11. A hand-held scrubbing device comprising: an elongated body portion having opposed first and second ends and a longitudinal axis;   a head attached to said first end, said head comprising: a universal joint,   an interface cover mounted on said universal joint, and   a pad interface attached to said interface cover, said interface cover comprising slots and an inverse ball-shaped opening, wherein said universal joint includes a ball-shaped member having a pair of spaced tabs, said tabs engaging in said slots of said interface cover to allow rotation of the head around the longitudinal axis, and wherein said ball-shaped member functionally engages said inverse ball-shaped opening in said interface cover to allow said interface cover to swivel in relation to said longitudinal axis;     a cleaning implement selectively secured to said pad interface;   a handle attached to said second end; and,   a base mounted between said interface cover and said first end of said elongated body portion, wherein said base comprises a pair of spaced slots for accommodating a pair of spaced tabs of said universal joint, said tabs securing said base to said universal joint.   
     
     
       12. A hand-held scrubbing device comprising: an elongated body portion having opposed first and second ends and a longitudinal axis;   a head attached to said first end, said head comprising: a universal joint,   an interface cover mounted on said universal joint, and   a pad interface attached to said interface cover, said interface cover comprising slots and an inverse ball-shaped opening, wherein said universal joint includes a ball-shaped member having a pair of spaced tabs, said tabs engaging in said slots of said interface cover to allow rotation of the head around the longitudinal axis, and wherein said ball-shaped member functionally engages said inverse ball-shaped opening in said interface cover to allow said interface cover to swivel in relation to said longitudinal axis;     a cleaning implement selectively secured to said pad interface; and,   a handle attached to said second end, wherein said handle is rotatable to a pistol position in which said handle is disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body portion and said handle is rotatable to a wand position located along the longitudinal axis of the elongated body portion.   
     
     
       13. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 12 wherein said handle is locked into the wand position and the pistol position by a locking knob attached to said elongated body portion. 
     
     
       14. A hand-held scrubbing device comprising: an elongated body portion having opposed first and second ends and a longitudinal axis;   a head attached to said first end, said head comprising: a universal joint comprising a hex pin which can extend into an aperture defined in said first end of said elongated body portion,   an interface cover mounted on said universal joint, and   a pad interface attached to said interface cover, said interface cover comprising slots and an inverse ball-shaped opening, wherein said universal joint includes a ball-shaped member having a pair of spaced tabs, said tabs engaging in said slots of said interface cover to allow rotation of the head around the longitudinal axis, and wherein said ball-shared member functionally engages said inverse ball-shaped opening in said interface cover to allow said interface cover to swivel in relation to said longitudinal axis;     a cleaning implement selectively secured to said pad interface; and,   a handle attached to said second end.   
     
     
       15. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 14 further comprising a motor located in said elongated body portion first end, wherein said hex pin extends into a gear box of said motor to operatively connect said head to said motor for rotating said head. 
     
     
       16. A hand-held scrubbing device, comprising: an elongated body portion having opposed first and second ends, a hollow section and a longitudinal axis;   a head attached to said first end, wherein said head is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said elongated body portion and wherein said head is simultaneously adapted to swivel about said longitudinal axis;   a motor located within said hollow section of said elongated body portion, said motor being configured to produce a rotary motion, said motor being operably connected to said head;   a control element for varying the speed of rotation of said head, said control element being operably connected to said motor;   a cleaning implement selectively secured to said head; and,   a handle attached to said second end, said handle being selectively rotatable about said longitudinal axis.   
     
     
       17. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 16 further comprising a splash guard attached to said head. 
     
     
       18. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 16 wherein said head comprises: a universal joint comprising a base and a ball-shaped member having a pair of spaced tabs; and,   an interface cover mounted on said universal joint, said interface cover comprising slots and an inverse ball-shaped opening, wherein said tabs of said ball-shaped member engage in said slots in said interface cover to allow rotation of said head around said longitudinal axis, and wherein said ball-shaped member functionally engages said inverse ball-shaped opening in said interface cover to allow said interface cover to swivel in relation to said longitudinal axis.   
     
     
       19. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 18 further comprising a pad interface secured to said interface cover via fasteners, wherein said pad interface is comprised of an inverse ball-shaped opening which engages said ball-shaped member of said universal joint, holding said pad interface and said interface cover to said ball-shaped member. 
     
     
       20. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 19 wherein said cleaning implement and said pad interface are comprised of hook and loop surfaces, said hook and loop surface of said cleaning implement matingly engages said hook and loop surface of said pad interface, securing said cleaning implement to said pad interface and allowing quick installation and removal of said cleaning implement from said pad interface. 
     
     
       21. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 18 further comprising a sleeve, wherein said sleeve is comprised of a surface which tapers toward the elongated body portion and is manually grippable by fingers, and wherein said sleeve is gripped to assist in disengaging said universal joint from said elongated body portion. 
     
     
       22. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 16 wherein said handle is comprised of an angled surface which interfaces with a similarly angled surface of the elongated body portion, said handle includes a stem with lips which engage a ledge within a hole within the elongated body portion, said hole being located on the angled surface of said elongated body portion, said handle being connected to said elongated body portion through said stem and said hole, said handle being rotatable with respect to the elongated body portion along the angled surface of said handle and the angled surface of said elongated body portion from a wand position located along the longitudinal axis of the elongated body portion to a pistol position in which said handle is disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body portion. 
     
     
       23. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 22 wherein the elongated body portion is further comprised of a locking knob for locking the handle in the pistol position or the wand position. 
     
     
       24. The hand-held scrubbing device of claim 16 wherein one of said elongated body portion and said handle further comprises: batteries for powering said motor;   an on-off switch; and,   a forward and reverse polarity switch.